Jean sat there, gripping Emma’s hand as if to anchor her back into this world, she silently vowed. Never again would she let Emma suffer because of her battles.
Jean let the silence stretch just long enough for Emma to breathe, her thumb brushing gently over Emma’s hand. Then, her eyes lifted to et Emma’s, softer but weighted with worry.
"Emma... I need to ask you sothing."
Emma’s lashes fluttered; she looked fragile, but in her eyes was a flicker of resolve.
"When Henry brought you here... was it because you’re running from soone?" Jean’s voice trembled slightly. "Why didn’t you tell ? Why didn’t you tell Uncle Morris? What happened that made you so afraid?"
Emma swallowed hard, her gaze dropping to their joined hands, as if gathering courage from Jean’s warmth. Her voice ca out hoarse, each word scratching through her dry throat.
"Jean... I didn’t run because I wanted to disappear. I ran because I couldn’t trust... anyone else."
"But Emma..." Jean started, only for Emma to tighten her grip.
"Listen... I rember partly now," Emma rasped, her breath shaking. "That night, before everything went black... Alex... Your brother Jean..." She choked on his na, as if it burned her mouth, "Alex Adams ca into my hospital room. He thought I was unconscious. But I heard him... I heard him when he removed my oxygen mask... the mont before I went into coma he said he had to ’finish the job before I wake up’."
Jean felt her blood run cold; Hannah drew in a sharp breath behind her. "He wanted to kill you," She whispered, horror creeping into her voice.
Emma nodded weakly, tears slipping from the corner of her eye. "I didn’t know whom to trust... I didn’t know if even the hospital was safe. The nurse who attended told that Henry was the only one who kept coming... so I told him everything."
"Oh, Emma..." Jean leaned forward, pressing Emma’s cold hand to her cheek, fighting tears.
"And Father... I don’t know how to tell you Jean but I don’t want to face him right now..." Emma’s eyes glossed over, voice barely a thread. "I didn’t want to contact you either because Alex is... dangerous. I couldn’t risk it."
Jean shook her head, voice cracking with emotion. "You should’ve told , Emma. I would’ve moved the world to protect you."
"I know," Emma whispered, her throat closing with tears. "But I needed proof first... so I could tell you everything... so you wouldn’t just see as broken."
Jean bent closer, her breath trembling against Emma’s hair. "Emma, you’re not broken. You’re alive. And now you’ve got ... Logan, Henry, Hannah... you’re not alone in this anymore. Whatever Alex tries to do, we’ll stop him."
For the first ti since opening her eyes, Emma let out a shaky breath that almost sounded like relief. "Promise , Jean... don’t let him get away with this."
"I promise," Jean whispered fiercely, her voice raw. "I promise."
_______________________
Jean gently tucked a strand of Emma’s hair behind her ear, voice soft but urgent.
"Emma... that night, you told Henry you were tired. Jet lagged. Then why... Why did you go out again after getting ho?"
Emma’s breath caught; her brows knitted, eyes clouding as fragnts of mory flickered behind them. She swallowed, voice trembling. "I went to my father’s study... just for a minute. I thought I’d say goodnight. But when I got there... He wasn’t alone."
Jean’s chest tightened. "Who was there?"
"Your father... and Alex," Emma whispered, eyes flickering with the fear she’d felt that night. "They were arguing... about you, Jean. Sothing about you being too stubborn... too dangerous if you found out."
Jean felt her stomach drop, a cold knot forming. "Found out what?"
Emma shook her head, tears spilling now. "I don’t know, I am trying to rember... I wish I did. But the way they spoke... It terrified . I couldn’t stay in that house." Her voice turned hoarse, guilt seeping in. "I ran to my car. Maybe I thought I could co see you... warn you, I don’t know. I rember trying to call..."
Her breath caught again, shoulders trembling.
"And then... Alex. His car ca out of nowhere. He crashed into . It wasn’t an accident, Jean. It was deliberate. I still rember his face in that mont... how dangerous he looked. Like he had nothing left to lose."
Jean felt her own breath falter, eyes brimming with tears she refused to let fall. "Emma..."
"I’m sorry, Jean. I didn’t an to bring this to you," Emma whispered, breaking.
Jean caught her face in her hands, voice raw but steady. "Don’t. Don’t say sorry. None of this is your fault. You’re here now and that ans we can fight back."
Emma let out a shaking breath, her fingers curling around Jean’s wrist, holding on as if afraid to let go. "Jean... please promise ... promise you won’t face them alone."
"I promise," Jean whispered, though in her heart, she already knew she’d do whatever it took... even if it ant standing alone.
Emma wiped her tears, forcing a smile to lighten the air. Her gaze drifted past Jean... catching sight of Hannah, who had been standing quietly by the door, trying to hold herself together.
"Hannah...," Emma breathed, her voice softer now, relief mixing with fondness. "Did you manage to handle work without ? Or did you make a ss of the files already?"
Hannah let out a breathy, shaky laugh... though her eyes were still red. "Hey! I did better than you’d think, you know."
Emma arched an eyebrow playfully. "Really? I should be worried about my job then."
But then her teasing faded when she saw Jean’s expression. The sharpness of the crease between her brows, the quiet dread that dimd her usually firm gaze.
"Jean... What happened?" Emma’s voice dropped, suddenly grave. Her eyes swept between the two of them... Jean standing so protectively close, and Hannah unable to quite lift her head. "Tell . What did I miss?"
Jean drew in a breath, her fingers curling at her side. She stepped closer, her voice lower now, almost trembling. "A lot, Emma... too much. After your accident... things didn’t stop. They only got worse."
Emma’s chest rose and fell faster.
"Worse... how?"
Jean glanced at Hannah, who bit her lip, then back at Emma. "There’s been betrayals inside the company, turns out my mother was secretly sabotaging my business deals. Tyler Dominic tried to ruin ... there’s a photo that got leaked... and it’s spread everywhere."
Emma’s mouth parted in shock, horror dawning in her eyes. "Oh my god, Jean... But Tyler Dominic? I don’t rember you having a history with him?"
Jean swallowed, her voice tightening. "And... while all this was happening, Darla tried to sabotage the company. We caught her. We exposed her to the world. But it ca at a price. Now the board is divided, and... and we’ve been fighting to hold everything together."
Emma’s teasing warmth had vanished entirely now. Her lips parted but no words ca... only the weight of what Jean had been carrying settled between them.
"You don’t have to catch up all at once," Jean added gently. "For now, what matters is that you’re here. And safe."
Emma looked at her, guilt flickering over her tired face. "Jean... I’m sorry. I should have been there..."
"Don’t." Jean reached out, brushing Emma’s arm. "You’ve fought your own battle just to wake up. Let us worry about the rest for now."
Emma’s eyes shimred, her voice a whisper. "Thank you... both of you."
And beside them, Hannah quietly wiped her tears away, determined to be strong, if only for them.
Just as the heaviness of the mont settled, the door creaked open and Logan stepped in first, Henry right behind him. The calm that had settled in the room cracked at the sight of their faces: tight jaws, eyes sharp, urgency radiating off them.
"Jean, get ready... Hannah, stay close to us," Logan said, his voice low but firm, "we have to go. Now."
Jean’s chest tightened. "What happened?"
Henry dropped the bags he was still holding, his gaze flicking over to Emma. "It’s ti."
Logan explains while guiding both his girls out of the house... "I just got a call from Priya. Soone traced this location... probably through the car’s number plate or caras on the road. It won’t take them long to find this place."
Emma’s eyes widened, panic cutting through the fatigue in her face. "You an... they’re coming for ?"
"Not just you," Logan said grimly, "but if they find out then maybe everyone in this room. We can’t risk staying any longer."
Jean’s hand flew to Emma’s arm instinctively as she was about to fall. "Emma, can you walk?"
Emma pushed herself upright, her body still weak, but her eyes were clearer than before. "I can. I’ll manage."
Henry stepped closer, voice softer now, but still edged with urgency. "I’ve got a car ready out back... not the one we ca in. It’s clean."
Hannah swallowed, glancing between them. "Where will we go?"
"Sowhere safer," Logan answered, already moving toward the door. His gaze t Jean’s, sothing silent and protective passing between them. "We’ll figure it out once we’re on the move. But right now, we can’t stay."
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